By Ashley Young-
Twenty former members of the Jehovas Witness group have lodged a legal suit against the religious organisation for historical child abuse. John Viney said he was abused by a distant family member when he was between the age of 9 and 13. Speaking to the BBC Derbyshire programme, mr .viney described the organisation as a ‘closed shop’ and said that the group handles matters ‘within the congregation’.
‘I know for a fact now that there are parents that haven’t done anything about the abuse of their children by others because they don’t want to bring reproach on Jehovah’s name.’
In 2019 Mr Viney reported his abuse to the police and learned that the same abuser had gone onto abuse other children, before dying in prison.
‘What would have happened if I had had the courage and common sense to come forward?’ he added. Ome former member who was abused also claimed she was also asked to repeat details of the abuse in front of elders. Former members also told the programme they were forced to recount details of their abuse to a committee, while their abuser was also present. Her abuser was jailed for two years, but the victim said he was welcomed back into the organisation on his release.
The news published by the BBC today comes as the CDEI published lengthy guidelines about the how to spot familial child abuse.
“The way that Jehovah’s Witnesses handle matters within the congregation, it’s a closed shop,” mr.Viny told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme.
“I know for a fact now that there are parents that haven’t done anything about the abuse
John Viny spoke with BBC Victoria Derbyshire Programme Image: bbc.co.uk
use of their children by others because they don’t want to bring reproach on Jehovah’s name.”
Mr Viney’s own daughter, Karen, was abused as a child – and has since spoken out about it publicly.
But when she left the organisation, Mr Viney disowned her – something he has regretted ever since.
“When I was an elder and a dad, I put being an elder absolutely first,” he said. “And that was a mistake.